Understanding our labor protections

10:47 PM,
Feb. 26, 2014

Mississippi has no labor department, and its current laws offer little protection for workers.

Written by

The Clarion-Ledger

The issue

Mississippi has no labor department and laws that offer little protection for workers; yet, it could benefit tremendously from both, especially since so many residents work low-wage service sector jobs. State labor laws and an agency to enforce them would ensure workers earn a living wage in a decent environment and have a positive economic impact on the rest of the state.Why it's important

Mississippi doesn't exist in isolation. It competes for business and industry against other states, most of which do have labor laws and labor departments. These states, in ...